When the love of wine and entrepreneurial spirit collide, in Mike’s case, it leads to Castleman Cellars. With a love and fascination for wine, Mike has one simple goal at Castleman Cellars…make wine that can be passionately savored for years and years.
Mac got into food and wine during his early twenties via his friends and coworkers at Trader Joe's in Southern California. He soon began taking trips up to the Central Coast to just to taste, but quickly found himself volunteering his time on his days off to help out at a number of wineries. After learning the process for a few years and spending more and more time on the Central Coast, Mac was ready to start making wine for himself.
13 Appelations - Against this trend of vineyard-designated wines comes THIRTEEN — a wine made not from not just one vineyard, but from a baker’s dozen, each one more esteemed than the next. What distinguishes these vineyards is that they have been chosen as the best representatives of their respective sub-appellations: Howell Mountain, Rutherford, etc. Napa Valley has 13 of these sub-appellations or did when we picked the fruit.
The brilliant white stucco stands out dramatically against the rugged Mayacamas and Vaca mountain ranges that flank each side of Napa Valley. Mount Saint Helena makes a lovely distant backdrop. The tour is self guided so it's at your own pace and the gondola ride is unique for the area. It's also one of only wineries that's on a hill in the middle of Napa Valley so the views are to die for.
My only suggestion would be (if you enjoy wine clubs) to join the wine club before you go. You can get on the gondola for free for up to 4 people and the tour is included as well. That pays for one of your months of wine right there.
Then, you get access to the VIP tasting room which is fantastic.
This winery is fun! They're only open the third weekend of the month. Tucked away down Redwood Retreat Road about 3.5 miles from Watsonville Road, the drive to get here is truly spectacular.
They are only open the third weekend of each month and passport weekends. They ask that you sign in and they then give you name tags with your first name on it. The staff was friendly and the owners Therese and Dan were walking around greeting people.
Dan and Therese Martin clearly have a passion for making great wine. They have scores of awards for their wine but that's not what they lead with. Their tasting room is welcoming and intimate. The vibe is comfortable and engaging.
Martin Ranch produces a variety of wines from Chardonnay to Cab Franc, Sauvignon Blanc to Sangiovese.
Toad Hall Cellars is owned by John Komes and his family; if the last name rings a bell it is because this family is also synonymous with Flora Springs Winery. They produced their first vintage in 1984 which was merely 10 cases of a Chardonnay...talk about scraping the bottom of a wine barrel! Today, production runs about 1200 cases (still relatively small) and focuses on three wines; two Pinot noirs and a Cabernet Sauvignon. Toad Hall was started by John as a side project to his family's Flora Springs Cellars. Toad Hall owns several vineyards; their original vineyard is 6 acres just off of Highway 29 in Rutherford planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and they also have a 10-acre vineyard in the Carneros region planted to Pinot noir.
Dan Souza is the winery owner and an entrepreneur of many businesses who has found new passion in the fine art of viticulture and winemaking. He comes from a long line of farmers and cattle ranchers, and cultivating the land with extraordinary results is nothing new to him. Besides successful efforts in many of his ventures, he also greatly enjoys donating his time and resources to those who need it.
Bovino Vineyards is an 83.5-acre property with about 45 acres planted to grapes. There are 16 different grape varieties grown on the ranch. Some, like the sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon. The different clones were selected for the characteristics each brings to the finished wine. There are 27 separate blocks with different rootstock/clone combinations in each. Add this complexity to the fact that there are three primary soil types on the property loam, silt loam, clay loam, the elevation ranges from 1,020 and 1,125 feet above sea level, and the blocks have multiple exposures and sun tracks, and it makes the winemaker glad he does not also manage the vineyard.
Rexford Winery handcrafts wines in small lots using grapes from select local vineyards. Their focus on single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Merlot, and other premium varieties. Rexford wines accurately reflect the varietal characteristics of the grapes and the unique microclimates and soils of the vineyards from which they come. Visitors are welcome at the winery located on the west side of Santa Cruz. The winery is open for tasting and sales Friday, Saturday, and Sunday and by appointment.
NOTE: Rexford Winery is the new name for Hillcrest Terrace Winery.
Rexford is a very small-scale operation that offers high quality wines. Sauvignon Blanc ($19), a Pinot Noir from Monterey ($29) and a Cab Sauv from Carmel Valley ($32). All were delicious and well made. We chatted with the winemaker. He teaches astro-physics at UCSC and decided to break into the commercial wine business after making some good homemade batches. He was knowledgeable and friendly.
When we entered, the tasting room was empty, but it quickly filled up. The wines here are excellent. I knew I wanted to buy a bottle or two, but it was very hard to choose. However, I just had to get a bottle of their charbono. Charbono - Dark inky color, blackberry profile, clean acidiity and bright fruit
Merlot - Sweet and soft fruit richness (cherry, currant and mocha), slight smoky oak with smooth tannins
Zinfandel - Nice flavor that finishes quick but hits with a raspberry, cherry flavor with notes of brown sugar and baking spices
The path to Bethel Rd. has been one of passion, experimentation, and homage to the tradition of spirit-making from around the world. Creativity and community are at the center of the Bethel Rd. mission with the goal being to manifest a space that is both inviting and inspirational.
Located just off Highway 46 West in the heart of Paso Robles wine country, Bethel Rd. is the perfect spot to enjoy craft spirits and wine in a cozy and inviting setting. The vineyard views are breathtaking
The Bethel Rd distillery and winery is run by the Udsen family, of Castoro Cellars, who are pioneers of Paso Robles wine country. One can expect much more than distilled spirits when visiting Bethel Rd.
Thursday - Monday: 11:00am - 5:00 pm
Closed Tuesday & Wednesday
Spirit Tasting Flight $20
Wine Tasting $20
Club Members Taste Free!
